How do we bring hope to those who have had no father, or an absentee father or an abusive father? This day can be more painful than celebratory for many in the community of north-central Regina. And many of our missionaries in Healing Hearts face that same challenge when planning to celebrate these events like Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and even Christmas. So many of these family and religious holidays are filled with drunkenness, loneliness and disappointment.
And a few of us have lost our dads and will have those bitter-sweet memories and the emptiness as we celebrate and grieve this year.
So we have sought to recreate community and family within the local church body to help people heal and be able to enjoy special occasions in a new and healthy way.
How do we do this?
By addressing the pain. We don't sugar-coat that some fathers have hurt their children. That some husbands have abandoned their families. But only by facing it, talking about it and eventually being able to forgive and move past the hurt can we all be free to truly celebrate the husbands and fathers who are doing their best to be faithful and loving!
So we give room and opportunity to share the realities of our hurts and also honour the Dads in our midst. We usually call to the front the fathers present at the Sunday service, give them gifts and say a special prayer of blessing over them. And of course we share a meal after the service - and this year is "Gourmet Hot Dogs" with all the fixings!
And one of the things we do focus on is that no matter how our earthly fathers were or were not involved in our lives, we have a Heavenly Father who will never leave us, never forsake us, who is faithful and loving, patient and just. He is the perfect and all-powerful Father who takes good care of His children.
I pray that as I consider the music for tomorrow, that God will lead me to choose songs and say the words in between that will bring life and healing for those who struggle with a father-wound. He is the ultimate Healer of our hearts...
HAPPY FATHERS' DAY to the fathers out there...and to God our Father, who deserves all honour and glory and praise!
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